1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to a surgical elevator device, and more specifically to surgical elevator device with suction capability.
2. Background
Surgical elevators are used for spinal surgery and other surgical processes. Typically, tissue is removed from bone using a suitable cutting tool, such as an electric knife, after which the separated tissue must be elevated, or retracted, away from the bone. A common device used to elevate tissue from the bone is a Cobb elevator.
A typical Cobb elevator includes an elongate handle, which may be knurled or otherwise fabricated to allow for easy gripping of the device. A thin, elongate arm extends from the handle and terminates in a blade, which is typically flattened, widened, and rounded. The blade may also be formed with a slight curvature to allow better manipulation of the tissue around the bone.
During the surgical process, the use of the electric knife or other cutting device, along with the Cobb elevator, requires both hands of the surgeon. Use of additional tools requires the surgeon to release either the knife or the Cobb elevator so that another tool may be selected, or requires a second person to manipulate the additional tool. In a common surgical procedure during which a Cobb elevator is used, one additional tool used is a suction tool. Suction is required because during the cutting process blood and other fluids flow into the surgical site. Further, when an electric knife is used smoke may be generated, and that smoke may reduce visibility at the surgical site.
Neither setting down the electric knife or Cobb elevator, nor having a second individual attempt to use a suction tool, is ideal. By releasing a tool, such as the electric knife, a surgeon is necessarily interrupting the surgical process in order to use suction at the surgical site. Further, the surgeon has to then release the suction tool and retrieve the electric knife, and during that time period blood and fluids begin to once again fill the surgical site. Having a second individual employing suction during surgery can obscure the surgeon's view of the surgical site, result in crowding around the surgeon while surgery is being performed, and render surgery more difficult because of the presence of additional instruments at the site of surgery.